Bound to Him
by phoenixreal
Summary: After the loss of his powers, Ichigo seems to be coping well, at least, on the surface. He makes a new friend, an American exchange student that seems to have a crush on him. They become fast friends despite the bit of sexual tension between them, and Ichigo asks they remain platonic. Then, the day they are headed to Tokyo University, Ichigo disappears, leaving his friend. yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

How It All Began

Ichigo Kurosaki gave up a god-like power when he helped defeat Sōsuke Aizen. He became normal in an instant. No more spirits, no more fighting wars that he was really too young to fight. He was left, though, with a deep bitterness toward those of his friends who were still capable of fighting—those that were still able to wield powers and protect others. Those, like Chad, Orihime, and Uryū, made him the most upset. He couldn't lay the blame on them, however. He'd made the choice to sacrifice everything to capture Aizen and keep him from destroying the three worlds that knew and cared about.

So, when by chance, Ichigo ran into an exchange student named Carson Brown, he didn't think much of it. They soon became friends. Carson was from the United States and had come over to do a year of Japanese high school. He said he intended to stay and pursue a degree in business at Tokyo University. Ichigo also was going to go there, in pursuit of his medical career. It was no wonder the two became fast friends. Both were charismatic and intelligent, and both were going to do well in their careers.

At the beginning of the last year of secondary school, Ichigo separated from his friends that reminded him most of Soul Society and the events that weighed heavily on his heart. He even considered moving out for a while, but in the end, decided to stay with his father and sisters until he could move to Tokyo for University. He began to get along mostly with Yuzu, and Karin understood. She was training with Urahara, and it was obvious that he was trying to forget everything about where he came from. There were so many things that Ichigo missed from his time with the others, and his friendships were chief among them. His Soul Society friends, in a bid to keep him from feeling upset by their visit, chose not to come see him even in Gigai. Sometimes, Ichigo was glad of that, and other times he wished they would just come and see him. At least then, he wouldn't be lonely. So, it was natural that powerless friends would become important to him like Carson.

Secrets, though, were something that Ichigo became good at along the way. Secrets and hiding things from others became a way of life. He couldn't tell them how much even seeing them hurt, so he just tried to smile a lot. Those that knew him best, knew what that meant, and they knew that he was hurting. He came up with ways to deal with the pain, but those ways weren't always the best ways, and sometimes, he might have gone a bit too far as were evidenced by the cuts and scars that lined his thighs at the very tops. He got very good at dealing with pain in ways that made him feel less numb.

Toward the middle of the year, it was Chad that noticed something interesting about Carson and Ichigo as the group sat down to lunch on the roof. Carson and Ichigo stayed in doing extra study during lunch breaks.

"I think that Carson has a crush on Ichigo." Chad's sudden and completely out of nowhere statement caught everyone else off guard.

"What?" Tatsuki asked, putting down her onigiri slowly. "A crush?"

Chad nodded, looking very serious. "He is always with him, and I notice that he often places his hands on Ichigo. I don't think that Ichigo notices it, or if he does, it doesn't bother him."

Uryū nodded slowly, having noted a few things himself. "I think since he's…come back, he's been trying to stay out of our lives and he got close to Carson. I see why. Carson is out of his element, and American in a small area outside of Tokyo. It was exceedingly Ichigo-like to take him under his wing, another out of place person. I mean, we know he didn't take his power loss well."

Tatsuki, having found her own ability to see hollows, had become privy to the various events that had taken place with Ichigo over the last couple years and she knew about his power loss. Ichigo hadn't completely detached from them, but they could all feel it. They were strong reminders of what had happened.

"I think since he hasn't got powers, he's comfortable to Ichigo," Tatsuki provided, sipping her can of juice thoughtfully. "But you really think he's like _that_?"

"You mean gay?" Uryū said with an arched brow, watching as she reddened a bit. Uryū had come out about two months previously to them. Since then, they were overly cautious about talking about it. "I don't automatically recognize gay people just because I am one," he sighed and drank down his juice. "I always wondered about Ichigo," he muttered, giving a sidelong glance toward Orihime.

"Only one thing to do," Tatsuki said and stood up. "Go ask him."

"Wait, you can't just…" Orihime started with a flush already starting on her face.

Tatsuki knew where they were; they were down in one of the study hall rooms and she figured no time like the present to get the whole situation under control. She found them in the back, both with their nose in books and eating without looking. She sighed and walked up and shook Ichigo's shoulder.

"Wha?" he said, looking up at here. "Tatsuki, what do you need?"

"Come here, I need to talk to you for a second," she said and jerked her head to the side.

"Um, okay," he said and stood up to follow her. Carson, brushing his blonde hair back from his face, looked after them curiously. Carson wasn't an imposing figure; he was thin, long limbed, and tall, perhaps five feet eleven or six feet in height.

Tatsuki took Ichigo to the other side of the room and glanced over where Carson was watching, blue eyes not leaving them. "So, you do know he's got a thing for you, right?"

Ichigo blinked, looking at Carscon and then Tatsuki. "A thing?"

"Like he likes you."

"No, we're friends, not…" he started but then his eyes darkened a bit. "Not like that…"

"Yeah, like that. Just look at it, Ichigo. Don't be stupid and insensitive to him right now. He can't take his eyes off you, he follows you wherever you go, and if you notice he puts his hands on you an awful lot," she said with a sigh. "If you haven't noticed, you're just as dense as ever."

Ichigo started to argue but she saw the light flicker in his eyes. She knew he hadn't a clue about it at all. "Maybe you're right."

"That doesn't seem to bother you," she commented, seeing they were still very much being watched.

Ichigo smirked. "Hah, I mean, I've deal with Inoue constantly following me about for years, I guess I didn't notice he was doing the same things," he shrugged at her. "What should I do with him? We're going to room in the dorms next year at Tokyo. Won't that be awkward…"

"Well, do you reciprocate?" she asked, feeling like Ichigo was never going to really understand unless she laid it out specifically for him.

He opened his mouth and closed it and looked confused. "I don't know."

"Ichigo, are you into guys or girls or what? Does he have a shot, because if he doesn't, you need to tell him now before you hurt him." She put both hands on her hips and stared at him.

"Um, okay, I… I'll talk to him on the way home today, alright?" he said with a definitive nod.

She headed up and Ichigo headed back to sit down with Carson. He smiled at him.

"Everything okay?" he asked, concerned looking.

"Yeah, she just had a question for me." He smiled and picked up the biology book he was reading and didn't pay much attention to Carson for the rest of the day.

As usual, Carson was waiting for him as he left the classroom. He noticed now how Carson would put a hand to his back now and then, and how he tended to steer him. How it didn't both him, Ichigo didn't know. He really wasn't sure how he felt about Carson, but he didn't want to get the guy's hopes up if he never felt the same way toward him. As they got on the sidewalk away from the school Ichigo brought it up.

"Um, so Tatsuki asked me about you."

Carson turned and looked surprised. "About me?"

"Yeah, you know, me and you."

He was quiet for a long time then spoke. "Like dating and stuff."

"Yeah, heh, she wanted to know if we were a thing sort of question. So, I said I didn't know because I don't know myself enough, if that makes sense. But she said she thought you liked me like that, and I wanted to ask if it was true." Ichigo wasn't looking at him, but he wasn't avoiding him, just looking ahead. Always ahead.

"Um, well, I mean, I do like you, a lot more than a friend, but I didn't think you, ah…went that direction. I don't know how to say it correctly in Japanese," he sighed and spoke in English. "I'd ask if you swing that way."

"Swing that way?" Ichigo asked with a curious grin. "I don't even know for sure, Carson," he said with a sigh. "I wish I could say I returned those feelings, but I see you as a good friend, and that really is all for now," Ichigo commented with a nod. "I don't want that to get in the way of next year at the university though. Is it okay?" he turned toward him now.

"No, that's fine, I didn't expect anything, Ichigo. You're my friend, and I really want you to stay that way. Maybe things will develop, maybe not, but I can hope," Carson said and put an arm around Ichigo's shoulders and squeezed him. "As long as you aren't weirded out by it."

"Nah, Inoue has been after me for years, aggressively, so I don't think I mind having a friend with a little crush," he said as he stopped at Carson's apartment and waved as he left.

Carson waved as his smile faded. Ichigo didn't see the look that crossed his face, somewhere between tears and anger, but he disappeared into his apartment.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

"No, look!" Carson said as he shoved a paper in front of Ichigo at lunch a couple months later. "This guy disappeared in a nearby town and look! He looks like you!"

Ichigo stared at the image of a young man that was in his twenties with lighter than normal hair. It wasn't that he really looked like Ichigo other than the hair that was lighter and kind reddish. "What about it? It says his family thinks he ran off to Tokyo with some girl. I don't know why you're all worked up, Carson."

"What's the matter?" Tatsuki said as she walked by them at one of the outdoor tables arguing over the newspaper.

Carson looked at her with pleading eyes. "Look, see, this guy, he disappeared!"

She looked over the article. "Why are you so worried, did you know him?"

"No, but what if it is a serial killer?" he said, looking around him nervously. "They target a type!"

"You're reading those serial killer books, Carson. And making something out of nothing!" Ichigo sighed, picking up a book that was about an American FBI profiler. He'd been reading a bunch of them lately.

"But…what if…?" he started but trailed off seeing that both Tatsuki and Ichigo were giving him a disbelieving look.

"Besides, one guy goes missing. That isn't a pattern of any sort, now is it?" Tatsuki smirked and patted Carson on the back. "I'll tell you what, we'll all keep an extra close eye on Ichigo, just in case."

"Will you?" Carson asked with wide eyes. She nodded and figured that it was over.

Two more months passed and the end of the year was on them. Soon, they'd all be moving on. Ichigo was talking to Uryū on the roof, having become more personable with them all as the end of the year came when Carson came tearing out onto the room and shoved another paper in Ichigo's face.

"Another one!" he gasped out, making everyone turn and look at him. Ichigo calmly pulled down the paper and looked to see it was a missing person report for a girl in Tokyo.

"This is a girl, and she frequented the red-light district," Ichigo muttered, reading it over. "She probably got into a drug den, Carson."

"But look! Her hair is like your hair, light red!" he insisted, pointing at the picture.

Ichigo sighed and looked at Tatsuki who had an amused grin. She came over and took the paper. "I doubt it is a serial killer, but perhaps Ichigo could be a little more cautious. But Carson, if the first person was from a nearby suburb, and this one is in Tokyo, don't you think this prospective serial killer is moving away?" she asked seriously.

Carson looked thoughtful for a minute and nodded. "Yeah, usually serial killers move in a direction one way.

"Serial killer?" asked Uryū.

"Carson has been reading those profiler books and he started seeing serial killers all over the place. Two weeks ago, he saw two dark haired guys that were in the paper as missing and swore that you should watch yourself," Ichigo sighed with exasperation. "Then, before that, there were a rash of kidnapping victims that looked like Tatsuki. I am certainly glad he's going to be in business and not law enforcement. He'd arrest everyone."

"Hey!" Carson said with a snort. "I'm just trying to look out for my friends." He huffed a breath out of his nose and Uryū patted him on the back gently.

"Don't worry, Ichigo is weird like that. At least you're keeping an eye out," he smirked at Ichigo.

"See, someone appreciates my efforts!" Carson said and threw his arms up.

Everyone laughed and there was a good feeling in the air. Ichigo had healed significantly from a over a year ago when he'd lost everything, and they were all happy to see it. Carson had become a part of their group, and even if they knew that he was only there for Ichigo, they didn't mind because he'd helped Ichigo get there.

Then, their world came crashing down around them.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

The banging on the door at seven in the morning when graduation had happened a couple weeks ago was way too much for Uryū as he dragged himself out of bed. "I'm coming!" he yelled as he staggered down to the door and opened it to find a frantic looking Carson standing there. His long, blonde hair was a mess and his eyes were wide and tearing up.

"Carson, what in the world is wrong?" Uryū asked, moving to let the thin American into his apartment.

"H-he-he's gone!" he gasped. "I went to pick him up today to go to Tokyo, and Ichigo's gone!"

"Calm down, what do you mean he's gone? Maybe he left early?" Uryū said, straightening his glasses.

"No, I asked, he was supposed to be dressed, ready to go! His bags are by the door, and he's just not here!"

"Okay, okay," Uryū said, trying to process what was happening. "Tell me what happened and what the plan was." He steered Carson to sit down in the kitchen and go tea for both of them. After a few minutes, he'd calmed him down enough that he looked less like a mess.

"Um, okay, well, we planned to leave this morning at seven. I have the car, so I planned to pick him up and take us to University. He had everything ready and his dad said he had dinner with them last night and talked about it. Then, this morning, when I got there, he was just gone."

They discussed the possibilities for a few more minutes and then they started contacting everyone in earnest to try and find out where Ichigo could have gone. Finally, everyone had gathered back at Carson's apartment and he paced the kitchen into the dining room to try and figure out what could have happened to Ichigo.

"Would he have run away?" Uryū asked. "Maybe stress finally got to him about the…the…the starting of university."

Orihime shook her head. "He was so excited about moving into the dorm room with Carson and starting a new chapter of his life. I can't see him running away."

"The last time I talked to him was about one am," Carson said, glaring at his phone as if the device itself was at fault for Ichigo's disappearance. "We texted back and forth about today and we said goodnight about then."

"For someone that isn't in a relationship, you two sure act like you're already married," Tatsuki observed with a smile, feeling very bad for Carson right then.

Carson blushed and looked away. "Well, one could hope," he murmured. "Did I scare him off because I like him?" he asked, tears welling in his eyes. "I shouldn't have told him. He got weird thinking that I was going to do something while we were in the dorms, that's what happened and he ran away because of me!" he sobbed loudly, dropping his head into his arms and sniffling.

"Oh, no," Uryū sighed and patted his back. "No way that was the case. I know him too well, and there's no way that he would have done something like that. He had no problem with the fact you liked him and that's a fact. He never, ever would hurt someone like that. I'm sure if he did run away, that he had his reasons behind it. Completely unrelated to you, Carson, I'm sorry."

Carson stood up and got everyone a round of tea as they continued to debate on what had happened to Ichigo that morning. No one knew what to make of him suddenly disappearing, and they all tried to console Carson who was convinced that Ichigo had run away because of him. After a lot of discussion of possibilities, Carson brought up the serial killer again.

"What if I was right and there was a serial killer?" Carson whispered to them.

"Don't be ridiculous," Tatsuki said with a shake of her head. "How would a serial killer have grabbed Ichigo?"

"Drugs," Carson informed them. "They could have drugged him."

"Carson, I doubt a serial killer could have snuck into Ichigo's house, got him out, drugged or not, then disappeared into the night before 6 am when his dad went to wake him up," Uryū said with a long-suffering sigh.

Carson didn't believe them, and for twenty minutes argued the ways in which Serial killers could accomplish such a task and how I had to be the same person that kidnapped the two other people that looked like Ichigo. It was either that or he scared Ichigo into running away. No one knew how to react because of the two, neither made sense.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Rope was the first sensation Ichigo felt as he started to wake up. The consciousness that he had been seeking was finally coming back to him and he really had no clue how he had ended up unconscious in the first place. He'd texted Carson last night, and that was the last thing he remembered. Then he couldn't remember anything. Now it was dark, and it smelled funny wherever he was. He felt fuzzy headed like he'd been drugged and he wasn't familiar with that sensation.

"…that's ridiculous…" he heard vaguely.

He saw a strip of light and he tried to reach it but he couldn't move anything. He felt pressure around his arms, legs, and around his whole body. Something was wedged in his mouth and he couldn't move his jaw an inch. He felt cold metal around his wrists, but when he moved his hands, there wasn't a clinking. It was like the chain between the metallic handcuffs he guessed was wrapped up in rope to keep it from making noise.

The smell was odd but familiar in a way.

"…Ichigo…running…"

That got his attention. Someone was talking about him? Where? That sounded like Tatsuki's voice. He had no idea where he was, and he wanted to get free of the ropes he was in. He struggled against them, but there was no way he could get loose from whatever he was in. It was like one of those impossible to get out of shibari harnesses he'd seen in pictures or something. Great, had he been abducted by some freak? But wait, why was he hearing people he knew?

"…serial killer? No, that's not possible…" Ichigo swore that sounded like Uryū's voice and it was so close. How close was he to his friends and he was tied up and couldn't speak?

 _Please, anyone, find me. I'm alone and it is so small and dark, someone help me…_

There was a sound of a door opening and closing and he guessed his friends had let wherever they were at. He'd been here and they were looking for him, and now he had no idea what was going to happen. There was a long quiet, and Ichigo thought that he was going to go out of his mind in the silence when the door opened, and light flooded the area that he was hidden in.

"Hi there," came a way too familiar voice and Ichigo's eyes went wide. Carson?

"I know you're confused, Ichigo, and I'm so sorry about that. I couldn't stand the thought of taking you to Tokyo University today. When we were there for orientation, there were so many men with their eyes on you, and I couldn't have it anymore. You know, when I tried to warn you about the serial killer, I was serious. Only, I was the serial killer. I killed those two red-heads because that's my type." Ichigo's heart was hammering in his chest now. Carson was a killer?

"I know, you can't believe it, right? Well, you were originally just another victim. I was going to kill you before I left Karakura Town. But…then I fell in love with you instead, so you're just going with me while I keep killing. Maybe you'll decide eventually to help me?" Ichigo shook his head vigorously to show that he wasn't going to help him kill.

"What do you think?" Carson asked as he reached over Ichigo's head and took down an album. He started flipping through the photos that started out as a person and quickly turned into a picture record of what he'd done to their bodies. Ichigo felt his stomach lurch. He'd planned this for him as well?

"I take my time, because this is an art, not just some hack-job killing spree. I thought maybe you'd be some help since you're in medical, but maybe I'll just have to train you to be a good wife first."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes and gnawed on whatever was in his mouth and snorted as loudly as he could. Carson frowned. "Don't worry, you'll learn what I expect out of my little strawberry wife, and if you don't provide it, I have ways to make you suffer. I love you, but I will punish you so much if you don't cooperate with me. We're going to stay here another few days while your friends and I try to find you, but of course, they wouldn't look right here, now would they?"

Ichigo couldn't believe this. He considered Carson one of his best friends. He felt his eyes tear up, though. He wanted to know what he'd done to get into this situation now. Carson reached out and wiped tears away from his eyes and smiled. "I'll love you so much, and you'll be the most precious thing in the world to me, don't you see? You just have to accept it, because this is how things are going to be. I'm going to Tokyo University, and I got this nice little apartment with some lovely nooks and crannies that promise good hiding spots for my bodies and for you." He paused, reaching for another book and showing Ichigo. "And you're going to do what I say. Because of the fact that if you don't…"

He opened the book to show off photos of Ichigo and his family. He kept flipping until he landed on one of Orihime. Then flipped to Yuzu. "These two, with that hair color, they fit my profile, don't you think? I read the books and I know I have a profile, and one day I'll be caught, but by then… You're going to be broken beyond belief, I promise you that. I will break you."

Ichigo's eyes hardened as if to dare him to do anything, but he had no choice but to do what he was told. He could get to Orihime and Yuzu so easily. "You know what I'll do? I'm going to take your place with them. I'll be a substitute for their missing friend and brother. No matter what you think, I'll place myself in their world, and no matter what you do, there will be nothing that you can do to change it because I will tie you up, chain you up, beat you and if I have to severe limbs I will do it," he whispered harshly right by Ichigo's ear. He was a different person no than he ever saw before. He was cruel, harsh, and someone Ichigo didn't know. "You belong to me now, and the life you had before is gone. Accept it, and I won't hurt you. Much."

Ichigo struggled against the bindings and Carson smiled. "I know I'll have to teach you the hard way. But after a few days in this pantry, you'll see who has control here, and it isn't you."

Carson stood up and slammed the door, leaving Ichigo in the dark and alone again. He screamed but there was no noise to escape the confines of the small pantry. Outside, the world went on looking for any trace of Ichigo Kurosaki. They would find none.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

How They Found Him

"In local area news today, a student from the suburban Karakura Town was listed as missing. Information leading to the whereabouts of Ichigo Kurosaki is to be directed to…"

Carson smirked as he turned off the TV and glanced toward the pantry. It was a foolproof plan, or was it? This would be a problem if people kept looking for Ichigo. He needed them to _not_ look for him. The easiest thing to do for that would be if he could convince everyone that he was dead, the victim of a vicious serial killer. He frowned and looked toward the freezer. Well, technically, he still had some parts he hadn't disposed of. He could put together a little package and announce himself to the world as a serial killer and name his victims. It wasn't like they were every going to find the rest of the remains.

He was smart and he knew it. He knew he could play the police. He got up and retrieved his books from the spot in the ceiling tile that he had hidden them and picked out a few pictures from the stalking phase of the first two victims and a couple from Ichigo. Then he found a photo of each of the other two bound up and one of the ones he had just printed from Ichigo's current predicament. But would photos be enough? He glanced at the freezer.

A few minutes later he'd taken out his prizes. Fingers. He had no idea why, but he liked to keep their fingers and their hair. He picked out the pinky finger from each of them and then cleaned, dried, and wrapped both of them in paper towels to pack into a neat package. Now, he needed one from his current victim. No, not victim. Ichigo was more than that. Ichigo was his love. He meant everything. He hated to hurt him like this but it was necessary for their peace. He planned to stop killing, of course. Of course, he would because he had Ichigo. The thought of not killing again though made him cold. Could he stop?

He opened the pantry to see Ichigo look up at him with those gorgeous brown eyes and he smiled because they were all his now. No matter what, he had him.

"My poor little wife, we have a problem. I'm going to have to cut off a finger to send to the cops to keep them off our trail." He watched as Ichigo's reaction was instant. Fear, revulsion, all of it roiled through those expressive eyes of his and again, he wondered if he could wait until he presented Ichigo with a symbol of his undying love for him before he consummated their love. No, he would wait, just a little bit longer. He reached under the bottom shelf and pulled out his tool bag.

"Now, now, I know, but you'll be fine. I even have the perfect implement, see," he said as he held up a pair of shears used to cut branches. They had a spring action that snapped them closed and clipped through small bones quite effectively. "I've done this on dead bodies, but not on living ones, so I don't know how much blood there will be. But I'll cauterize it when I'm done," he said as he pulled out an acetylene torch. Ichigo's eyes widened even further and he shook his head violently against the bindings and tried to speak around the ball gag Carson had used.

Carson ignored him and stood up to clip the pinky of his left hand. "You're right handed so I'll do the left, okay, love?" he said as he positioned the clippers and then snapped them closed without a moment's hesitation. He felt Ichigo struggle and scream against the gag. Well, it was a good thing he'd opted for the heavy-duty gag and did this inside the pantry, otherwise there would have been plenty of people who came to find out what was happening. He put the disconnected phalange down on the shelf and quickly used the torch to cauterize the wound. It bled a lot more than he expected, but then, he guessed he wasn't used to cutting up living bodies. He guessed it was a good thing he'd had his hands up like that for a few hours, as most the blood had run out of them.

"You're a mess now, but I'll deal with that later. Right now, I have to make this appear at the police station, my love," Carson said and realized that Ichigo had passed out. Oh, well, he guessed that might have been a bit traumatic. Either way, he'd have to bathe him to get all that blood off of him. He sighed, going out to sit down and package up the three fingers, the photos, and a cryptic note he printed. He looked it over. He sounded like a real serial killer baiting the police, he thought proudly as he cleaned up and wiped down any leftover prints. He'd used gloves, of course, but you could never be too careful.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

"Kurosaki-san, this isn't good news," the detective said across the desk from Isshin. "We have reason to believe your son was the third victim of a serial killer."

Isshin blinked and stared at the man. "A serial killer?"

Detective Ryu Tsubaki pushed over a file. "We had this delivered to us today by courier. They had been paid in cash to pick up a package and drop it off here, no names, just a box that continued three fingers. One belonged to Unkei Ohashi, a young man that worked down in the warehouses here in Karakura that disappeared a while ago. One belonged to Koto Kitani, a young woman from Tokyo who also disappeared. Their families have already been contacted and informed that we know that they are deceased, but the third belonged to your son. Also in the package were photographs of the three of them, some were taken from afar as if by long range camera, and the last was each victim bound and gagged before they were killed. I'm sorry, but we are going to list him as deceased."

"That can't be right," Isshin whispered. "How could anyone do this to my son?"

"We don't know more, but the guy is calling himself the Shear Mangler. The fingers were removed with some sort of gardening shears. He isn't done, but the type he chooses are young, reddish hair, and charismatic sorts. We're going to do everything we can to capture him and bring him to justice."

Isshin left in a somewhat fugue state, leaving the policeman to stare at all the evidence before him. Still, he wondered at the report he'd gotten back. The first two fingers had been frozen and severed from dead victims. The third, though. The third had never been frozen, in fact, it appeared to have been very recently severed from a living victim. Of course, that didn't mean the victim was alive now. To change the way he did things, though, it seemed a bit off. Unless this was the new method the guy was using.

"Something wrong, Ryu?" asked his partner as he sat down across from him.

"I don't know. Something about the Shear Mangler case. Things don't just fit together quite right. I can't put my finger on it."

"Well, we'll get the bastard. To have a serial killer strike here, of all places," Kotaro Goya commented as he flipped through the file. "And twice."

"But what if the third victim isn't dead yet? You saw the report. That finger had been severed less than a few hours."

"Yeah, he cut it off right before he cut the kid's throat, you know as well as I do that kid's dead," Kotaro said with a shrug as he closed it. "Best we can do for that kid is to find the guy and put him behind bars.

Ryu, though, couldn't get it out of his mind. What if they were wrong?

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

"Alright, love," Carson said as he opened the door to the pantry. He wrinkled his nose as he realized he'd forgotten something very important about harboring a living prisoner instead of a dead body.

They needed to use the bathroom. He winced but refused to show his irritation with himself at this fact. "Did we wet ourselves, what a naughty thing," he said instead and grabbed the handcuff chain off the heavy hook.

Ichigo was a bit limp when he pulled him from the pantry, and he supposed he had also forgotten food and water. Well, he couldn't be too mad at himself, he was learning after all. He pulled Ichigo up onto him and guided him to the bathroom where he hooked the chain over another anchor he'd installed in the walls of this place. He smiled as Ichigo heaved breaths around the gag and looked to be trying to collect himself in the well-lit bathroom.

"Alright, love, let's get you cleaned up," Carson said and began to undress him. He started to protest through the gag but Carson ignored him as he removed the dirty pants and boxers. He paused then, staring at the tops of Ichigo's legs and the looked up at him.

"You've been cutting yourself, Ichigo," he commented as he knelt down in front of him and ran fingers over the scars and fresher cuts. "Now, now, that won't do. I can't let you do that anymore. Not at all." He stood up and unbuttoned Ichigo's shirt and realized that he'd have to uncuff him. He'd have to be careful. He'd just do one arm at a time and cuff him to the bar as he did it. He didn't think he was strong enough to fight back much, after all he'd been without food and water nearly a day already and he'd just cut off a finger and triggered some pretty heavy shock-trauma.

A few minutes later, he'd cleaned up Ichigo and placed him in new clothes. There was no need to subdue him because he was incredibly weakened by his confinement and lack of food and water. He had to come up with a way to get him to the place in Tokyo, but he didn't think it would be too much of a problem. He was smart, after all.

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Ichigo was certain that he was going to die. The way Carson would forget over the next few days that he needed water, and the pain his body was constantly in was enough. He fretted over him when he remembered and Ichigo began to see the different aspects of the friend he had once had. Carson was everything anyone could want when he was attentive and treating Ichigo sweetly, but then he would change and the cruel person that was so foreign to Ichigo would come out. That person Ichigo could imagine killing people easily.

He began to wonder if he was ever going to get out of the pantry until one night, several days had to have passed. Carson opened the door and there was one of those very large rolling suitcases lying on the floor. Ichigo was certain that it was meant for him as soon as he saw it.

"Just because I have to transport you. I know a full-sized person will fit in one; I've used it for the others. Don't worry, I'll knock you out."

Ichigo struggled against him as usual; he couldn't not. He felt the pinch as he injected something into his leg where he was bound up with the ropes.

"I must admit, my skills with rope have improved greatly when dealing with you, my love."

 _Love._ He always called him that. Like he wasn't bound up in a small space and about to be tossed in a suitcase. The drug hit him and the world began to phase out. It didn't knock him all the way out, though, and he could sense things here and there. He felt himself be put into the suitcase and positioned with his back against the side and his legs folded up in front of him. He tried to push through the drug but it just wouldn't let go of him as he was moving. His guess was they were headed to Tokyo as they had originally planned. Carson would have to start at the school as expected. The world faded and for a while, everything was quiet.

When he woke up, Ichigo found himself lying somewhere warm and comfortable. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton but he was becoming clearer as he laid there.

"Love, wake up, welcome to your new home," he heard from beside him. He jolted the rest of the way awake and saw that he was still bound with he handcuffs and they were attached to a bar in the bedframe. He was still gagged and exhausted.

"Now that we're in Tokyo, you'll have a new life here as my wife. And if you step out of line, I'll lock you in the basement of this place until you know your place. I know it will be hard but you will learn what to do. But first, I have a present for you."

Ichigo didn't want to know what kind of present he had for him but he felt his hand come out of the handcuff and he saw it was his left hand. Carson slipped a golden band on his finger. Carson kissed him on the forehead then kissed the ring. "Just like we're married. Two guys can't marry for real so this has to do for us, my Love."

Ichigo didn't know what to think. He was truly of the belief that they were a couple. He jerked as his hand was put back in the handcuff above his head and Carson started to undress him.

"I've been patient, waiting for this moment," he said as he stripped Ichigo of everything except the shirt which was caught because of his hands being bound, buttons opened and gaping. Ichigo fought the hands as best he could but he was still so groggy and weak. "I love you and I want to show you how much."

Carson seemed to be approaching the incident like a lover rather than a rapist because he began by kissing Ichigo's bare chest and playing with his nipples until they hardened from the stimulation. Ichigo tried to pull away from him but there was nowhere to go. Next he began to fondle Ichigo's uninterested body until his ministrations led to an erection. Ichigo was mortified but his body was responding to the stimulation.

When Carson's hand slipped down and began to probe at his entrance, Ichigo used all his strength to summon a kick. Unfortunately, it didn't do much more than rock him a little. Carson grabbed his leg and twisted it to the side without a word and continued to slide his finger down into him. He took time, slowly massaging and working Ichigo open. He then reached and grabbed a bottle from beside the bed. He paused and coated himself with the lube before he leaned forward and sunk into Ichigo's body. Despite it all, he couldn't stop the response to the expert stimulation Carson gave, bringing him over before he thrust into him again.

After the world skipped out and came back, Ichigo woke clearly to find himself strung up like in the pantry somewhere dark. The light came on and Ichigo watched Carson come down the steps of what was apparently the basement.

"I can't trust you just yet, so you'll stay here at night, my Love," Carson said. He caressed Ichigo's face and smiled at him again. "You'll do anything I want to get out of this dark basement, and I know it. Even if you don't realize it yet."

-oooooo-OOOOOO-oooooo-

Time passed and everyone moved on. Then one day Isshin Kurosaki received a phone call that his son had been found, alive. He immediately went to Tokyo to find out what had happened. It had been seven years since Ichigo's presumed death.

Isshin arrived at the Tokyo police station and found that there had been a lead on the Shear Mangler. His seventh victim had led them back to a small apartment. When they had entered the place, they had found Ichigo, chained to a central location in the apartment with enough slack to visit most of the rooms. He had been cooking dinner when the police had come to the door. To Isshin's shock, the identity of his son's captor and the serial killer had been Ichigo's friend Carson.

"I don't understand how this happened," Isshin told the officer, Ryu Tsubaki who used to work in Karakura Town.

Ryu shook his head. "We're still putting together everything but it looks like your son was his only survivor. The other six victims' remains have been located. He's been surprisingly forthcoming with information now that he's been caught. He refers to your son as his 'wife' and states that they are 'in love'."

"Really?" Isshin said with a shake of his head as he was led into a room where he found himself looking at an older version of his son. His hair was long and pulled back on his neck, but otherwise, he looked just the same.

"Pop," Ichigo said as he stood up and walked around the table to embrace his tearful father.

"Son, we thought you were dead," Isshin sobbed, grabbing his hands and pausing to run a finger over the missing pinky of his left hand.

"I know, that's what Carson wanted you to believe," Ichigo said with surprising calm. "He was very meticulous. I think he was tired of the chase and that's why he let the police catch him."

"I don't know what to say, son," Isshin wiped his eyes and stared at him.

"I'm happy to see you," Ichigo said with a sad smile. "But I miss Carson. He's all I've known for a long time."

"Seven years," Isshin informed him.

"Has it been that long?" Ichigo asked with a frown. "I guess it has. He kills about once a year so that would be about that long since this all began with his first victim in Karakura."

"You seem calm," Isshin said as he sat down at the table unable to stand any longer. Ichigo sat down opposite him and nodded.

"I've been waiting for the day he go caught because I knew only then would I be free. He told me that."

After a few minutes, Isshin was summoned from the room and taken to the observation area outside the room looking in. A Doctor walked up to him.

"Mr. Kurosaki?" he asked.

"Doctor. Dr. Kurosaki," he responded.

"I'm Dr. Kent. I'm a psychiatrist and I've spoken with your son. As you can see, he is quite calm about the situation. This is a worrisome thing to me. He has been held captive a long time, and I fear some elements of Stockholm Syndrome may be present. Luckily, he seems to be okay with being separated from his captor. I worry about his lack of response."

"I'm sure that he'll respond when he needs to. Can I take him home?" Isshin asked.

"We have no reason to keep him here, so you are welcome to take him back to Karakura, though I recommend heavy therapy for him once he's there," Dr. Kent said with a shake of his head.

"I'll take care of him," Isshin said with a sigh. What else could he do?


End file.
